معرفی
Michael Thomson is a Professor and Beachell Chair in Rice Genomics & Genetics at Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. He holds an office at the Heep Center and leads the Crop Genome Editing Lab (CGEL). His research focuses on plant molecular genetics, rice genetics/genomics, molecular breeding, and international agriculture. He teaches courses on International Agricultural Systems and Genome Editing in Crop Plants.
Education: PhD in Plant Breeding from Cornell University (2002). His work bridges genetic diversity in crop gene banks with practical plant breeding to accelerate rice improvement. Research includes CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, SNP haplotype characterization, and methods to enhance genetic gain in rice breeding programs. Collaborations span Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Beaumont and global partners.
Research interests emphasize rice quality improvement, stress tolerance (salinity, temperature, anaerobic conditions), and functional genomics. He develops tools like the 7K SNP array (C7AIR) and high-throughput genome editing pipelines. The lab's work is showcased at CGEL.
Key contributions include identifying QTLs for salinity tolerance, optimizing CRISPR protocols in rice/cowpea, and improving lysine/resistant starch content in rice. His team includes support staff and students focused on crop genetics and biotechnology.
